Molarity Classic 135-139

Published: June 4, 2012

In strips 134-139 of the popular comic Molarity, which previewed in The Observer in 1977, Chuck decides to make an explosive political statement.

135. This series of cartoons was ripped from the headlines. On January 29 of this year, 1979, a woman hijacked a 747 and demanded some Hollywood stars read a political statement.

136. Allow me the chance to shout out to the varsity fencing team. (I was on the saber squad, sort of.) When this cartoon appeared, they added to their streak with their 92nd straight victory. It made news that Irish saber fencing great Michael Sullivan lost a bout. At this point in his career he had 155 wins and 3 losses.

137. The correct chemical formula for nitroglycerin appears on the bottle in the last panel. Before the Internet, it meant that I had to go to the library and research the chemical formula from a BOOK.

138. The cartoon appeared in the February 14th Observer, which included an extended personals section. Ads included: “Disco Bob, Looking forward to discoing-down with you Valentine night. Much love, Your disco queen”; “Dear Bookkeeper, You’re the greatest Valentine a Treasurer could want. PBM”; and “DP, I want to gnaw on your body! Vermin.”

139. The headline on this February 1979 Observer indicated that the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan was killed by Moslem kidnappers. Also, Iranians attacked the U.S. Embassy, but this was not the student takeover that would occur later the same year. In an interview with Observer staffers, Father Hesburgh said in reference to increasing his presence on campus, “If they don’t know who I am, I guess they must be living on Mars.”

See the first five classic strips. Check back monthly for more classic Molarity strips. Molarity Redux, the updated, continuing adventures of Jim Mole and friends, also is posted monthly. For those new strips, check out the cartoon archives.